The Ultimate Computer

This is a rather complex episode. It has the classic question as to whether complete mechanization (including a master computer) is preferable to a human (or non-human) crew. A man named Dr. Daystrom is one of the pioneers in the development of space technology. He was once lauded but, like so many pioneers, has become the object of the public's malaise over past accomplishments. He uses the Enterprise as his Guinea pig, installing his ultimate computer and putting the crew in menial positions. To test out his baby, Daystrom has arranged war games with other starships. The computer does a masterful job of running the ship, but because artificial intelligence lacks imagination, when the games commence, the thing can't distinguish the game from reality. It believes these ships are actually attacking it. Daystrom goes mad when efforts are made to stop his creation. Another issue is if Daystrom has his way, there will be no more crews, no more explorations. Would it spell the end of the need for looking into the unknown.

William Marshall (Daystrom) overacts with as much vigor as Shatner in this episode. Long impassioned monologues that leave me rolling on the floor laughing.

As usual, the writers didn't miss out on the chance for relevant social commentary. Back then, computers were so expensive, only corporations owned them. And it wasn't just the misinformed who gave computers more respect than they were due. Artificial Intelligence researchers believed that they would soon be matching human reasoning. Such power in the hands of a few was of course a frightening prospect.

Daystrom's best moments are at 29 and 42 minutes on the DVD.

Great exciting episode, presenting issues very much with us today. ANY of us in our professions in the 2010's could end up as "Capt. Dunsels." As in the best episodes, the action keeps coming and character expression is good. It's neat that Roddenberry, in line with his (very appropriate) dedication to racial equality, cast Dr. Daystrom as a very capable, intellectual (if seriously unbalanced) black scientist. Also very engaging to take the action inside ANOTHER Federation starship, that of Wesley. Now there's a key difference between the M5 System and HAL, the evil AI which appeared almost simultaneously: they both end up being homicidal, but only the M5 can vaporize anyone who tries to disconnect it.

An ultimate computer? That point will probably never be reached. The computer here, M-5, was intended as the next step up from the 23rd century starship machines which were also designed by the genius Daystrom. Under the test guidelines in this episode, the Enterprise is emptied of all but 20 personnel and the new M-5 is plugged in, running standard ship's operations, such as navigation and entering into orbit around a planet. Later, the plan is to indulge in war games with a quartet of other starships, testing M-5's calculations during a battle. It's man vs.machine; it's human workers vs. the automated line; it's all about...becoming obsolete. Some of this reminded me of an episode on the TNG show, the one where Dr.Crusher found herself on an Enterprise increasingly devoid of people, until only she and Capt. Picard remain in charge, the rest of the ship run automatically. Automation seems to make sense for a few seconds, but then you realize there's the absurdity of all those empty cabins; what's the point of a huge ship, manned by only a few people, the rest of it always empty except maybe when you have a bunch of guests on board? This is what Daystrom seems to be proposing; he speaks of other glorious pursuits men can aspire to rather than running about in space. But, exploration of space is the ultimate glory for mankind. Daystrom can't win this one - it's absurd.

The story revolves around the goals and aspirations of two men - Kirk and Daystrom. Kirk's career appears to be in danger of winding down very quickly in the first act - replaced by machinery, while Daystrom's might be gaining a second wind after 25 years of stagnation. It all revolves around the personal needs of these two men - what they need in life to feel functional, to be useful. The situation reverses in the 2nd half of the episode: I mentioned why Daystrom had to lose and, besides, this is Kirk's show. But Kirk has some doubtful moments before the M-5 proves to be unreliable; the reference to 'Capt.Dunsel' is particularly awkward and McCoy steps in for the viewer as we start to feel actual pity for this beleaguered captain, reduced to rambling about old sailing ships in his cabin. I sensed a calculated lack of tact on Kirk's part later, when the tables are turned and his job appears safe again; McCoy tells him that Daystrom is on the verge of a nervous breakdown - so what does Kirk do? He picks that moment to tell the tottering genius that his child must die. Of course, this sends Daystrom over the edge, into total madness. Daystrom's story continues a pattern of what happens to other famous personages in the 23rd century when they run across Kirk - they either go crazy or are killed. The actor, Marshall, was suitably imposing as the 'wrapped too tightly' computer genius - especially in that memorable scene of him towering over Kirk, ranting away. Kirk's quick solution to the whole mess is the weakest part, since we've seen it before ("Return of the Archons" and "The Changeling") but this episode may also explain why the computer systems in the 24th century, on the TNG show, were essentially the same - no chance of having to talk a computer out of killing hundreds of Starfleet personnel.

William Marshall's character of Dr. Richard Daystrom a future expert in cybernetics has been completely vindicated in even more future episodes in the Star Trek franchise. In Star Trek The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine and Voyager there are references to the Daystrom Institute that has been founded on earth. It's fully explained in this story that Daystrom is a great man of science and he must have been to have his work and reputation recover from the folly of this particular experiment.

The Enterprise has been reduced to a skeleton crew of 19 including the cast members and on board is William Marshall who has installed his brand new state of the art M5 super computer which will run the ship with only a skeleton staff needed for maintenance.

Need I say that things go horribly wrong as the computer starts making command decision. It also has developed a most human instinct for its own survival.

All this is most distressing for Marshall who sees the M5 as the crowning achievement in an illustrious scientific career. The machine is like a child to him and he behaves as a parent.

I won't go into what happens, but the Enterprise does run amuck during battlefield maneuvers and is saved because of the instinct and humanity of another of the Starship captains.

A really well done Star Trek about humanity and humans. No machine can replace us.